Autumn

This Ryusa netsuke is a profound philosophical meditation on time, courage, and beauty. The title “Autumn” unfolds through a triad of powerful Japanese symbols.
​The Dragonfly (Tonbo) is the protagonist of this scene. In Japan, it is not just an insect, but a symbol of autumn and valor. It is called katsumushi (“victorious insect”) because it never flies backward. It is the living embodiment of the samurai spirit, courage, and the principle of “only moving forward.”
​But this symbol of courage is placed upon a bed of decaying, eaten leaves (Kuchiba). This is the heart of the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic—the beauty of imperfection and the traces of time. The leaves symbolize Mujō, “impermanence”—the acceptance that all things in the world are transient.
​This combination holds the central meaning: true courage (the Dragonfly) lies not in eternal life, but in accepting one’s transience (the Leaves) with dignity.
​The culmination of this idea is the dewdrop, inlaid with an opal. In Japanese poetry, dew (Tsuyu) is the classic symbol of the fragility and fleeting nature of life, vanishing with the first ray of sun. By using an opal, I”freeze” this most fleeting of moments. I capture and eternally seal into the material the very essence of mono no aware—the poignant charm of transient beauty.
​Materials: Boxwood, white mother-of-pearl, golden amber, opal.
​Size: 2 inches (≈5.1 cm) in diameter, 1/2 inch (≈1.3 cm) thick.
​2007. UK, private collection.